Instagram

Please follow our posts, comments and mini-lessons here if you cannot find us on Instagram. Click on any image below for more details and thoughts.

Instagram post: “Everybody needs some time on their own. Everybody needs some time all alone.”—Guns N Roses circa early 1990’s. OK, I admit that I never thought I’d be quoting a GnR song (although I do think Slash belongs in the top 5 guitarist category), but this line, and this image created by my favorite person at my favorite place (Kaua’i) sums up my absence for the last couple of weeks. The truth is that I took a pretty bad fall a few weeks ago that triggered some scary issues with my back. The x-rays were negative—no damage to the site of last year’s surgery, but two weeks plus of significant spasms put the worry scale to “11.” (Wow, GnR and Spinal Tap in one post!) The back is now sore, but I think on the mend (a good friend who was there when I fell said “Your bruises probably have bruises after that hit!” Soooo…how do you bounce back and shake off the blues? Finish revising the second edition of the first book you wrote! It is a book about the cognitive assessment tool I use (sorry, not a photo book). Stay tuned for this and perhaps other revisions/republications of other books/eBooks!

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#kaneohe#byodotemple

I was playing in Lightroom this morning before our Lightroom/Photoshop class. I haven’t used the split-tone feature in Lightroom much, but I like how it created an old-school nostalgic feel to this image of the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Learning is sometimes a challenge, but always fun!

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#kaneohe#byodotemple

I have lived on O’ahu for over 15 years and came here for the first time 18 years ago. This was, amazingly, the first time I have been to the beautiful Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe. I love that I am still able to discover hidden (and not so hidden) gems with Joan Dantzig. It was impromptu (the best kind of adventures), so we did not get to see the Buddha (there is a reason to return!) Some of these were captured with a Nikon V1 and processed through the “traditional” Lightroom and Photoshop apps. Some were captured using the Pro settings on a Samsung S8 and processed through either the Adobe mobile apps or Snapseed. The jury is still out for me on the mobile apps because I still had to run the images through “traditional” Photoshop to either remove people (when desired) and/or create layer masks for different reasons. Good fun and good learning either way!

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#kaneohe#byodotemple

We posted a few images from the incredible Vasquez Rocks Park in Saugus, California. However, El NIdo, Palawan in the Philippines is, without a doubt, one of most beautiful places anywhere. The white sand beaches and aqua water are very inviting, but the strange and unique rock formations created by centuries of wind and rain are beyond description. Here is one example (more to come in future posts!) is its original color form and also converted to black and white in Photoshop. Which do you prefer? This post on FB raised $100.00 for United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii! Mahalo Michael!

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#Elnido#palawan

I have had the honor of traveling to the summit of Mauna Kea one time. It was breath-taking: visually and literally! It truly was difficult to move at such a high altitude, but the feeling of being on top of one of, if not the, largest mountain in the world (from sea floor to summit) was awesome. The guide stopped on the way back down for us to observe the stars. Spectacular! I found this great old barn at one of the stop points going up the mountain.

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove

I am working on updating my iPad galleries for various classes/workshop in preparation for our second annual appearance at Photocon Hawaii (September 7-9) and came across this image created on Joan’s birthday FIVE years ago in Manila, Philippines. This was THE trip…the interview at the US Embassy to secure Joan Dantzig‘s visa that would allow her to come to America, become my wife and change my life in so many amazing ways! OK, back to the image. It was created at the Harbor View Restaurant, obviously at sunset. I just added this image to my slideshow on composition. I talk about using color and tones to create interesting photographs. This image is, in my opinion, beautiful in its simplicity. The (few) highlights balance the heavier, darker shadows and the light from the lamp is balanced by the light from the setting sun under the building on the left. Sometimes the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple…Silly!) method works the best. Learn more in our Essential Introduction to Digital Photography workshops.

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove

Your choice of lens, the angle at which you aim your camera (AKA “perspective”), and composition are among the “Essentials” of creating interesting photographs. These topics as well as a detailed discussion of exposure, depth of field, motion, color and more are covered in our intense 12-hour (four Monday evening classes) Essential Introduction to Digital Photography Workshop. There are openings available for our class starting THIS Monday, August 6th. “Go From Auto to Awesome” in 4 weeks. Register here: https://hawaiischoolofphotography.com/registration/
Aloha Lani building photographed with a 26mm lens (10mm lens on a Nikon V1 which had a conversion factor of 2.6, hence the 26mm equivalence—YES, we will discuss this in class too!)

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove

Back out with the bird today with my good friend Charlie Rowe Sr.! This time we found a small park at the foothills of Koko Crater in Hawaii Kai. It was (as always) a bit windy, but we still got the drone up to 400 feet. It really is a beautiful “change of scenery” at that altitude. The only better view I have had of East Oahu is when Charlie’s friend took us up in a small prop plane.

fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography

photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting

composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons

travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#drone#dji#phantom4

Photography is NOT light. WHAT??? Photography is UNDERSTANDING how your camera interprets light. There is a big difference. Your camera does not create images. Your brain does and then we use a camera as our tool to bring that image to fruition. Yes, we can use the “auto” modes or click our phone cameras, and these will work to a large degree. However, the more you understand light, the more you will understand photography. Unfortunately, this takes time and effort. Light is a tricky bugger, so be patient and truly study light to understand how to use your camera to get the images you want. This is an image of Iolani School and the Ala Wai golf course. It is a nice photograph, but nothing overly special…except that it was created in manual mode WITHOUT using any light meter! It is straight out of the camera and it was a one-shot deal. My good friend Max Brunk and I were hanging out and the topic turned to photography (we are two old school guys who learned photography long before auto modes became popular). We were talking about light meters and how to explain what they do for new photographers. We talked about how they turn light into the “language of photography,” namely f-stop and shutter speed at a given ISO…but, this is not magic. Study light and you will understand what your meter does for you. We looked outside as the sun was beginning to set and I said: “ISO 100, 1/100…no 1/60th of a second at f8.” Max was thinking a shutter speed of 1/125th of a second and said “f5.6” (same exposure). I grabbed a camera a took this photograph. Honestly? The highlights from the sun’s reflection are a bit “hot,” but the rest of the exposure is pretty much right on. Now, this is not meant to be an “aren’t we great” type of message. Rather it is meant to encourage you to study light and how it changes so YOU take over the controls to make your camera the tool to capture the image that you create in your brain.

#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#nometer

I’ve been home with a cold for the last week and 1/2, so I have had time to scroll through some archives. How did I NOT edit this image 5 years ago? I think I have a “new” favorite image of Joan (yes, BTW, she is wearing a swimsuit)!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography#JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove#beautifulasawa#wifey#happyguy

Another “tree” shot! I can’t believe I found this long lost favorite of mine in the deep dark archives of my hard drive! This image was taken in June of 2002 on the incredible island of Kaua’i in Hawai’i (again with my good friend Louis Peter Trygar!) I supposed I hadn’t quite accepted it logically yet, but in my heart I knew at this point that I was going to move to Hawai’i. I made the move the following January. I entered this image in the local (PPLAC) Professional Photographer’s of America print competition. I named it “A Nice Place to Read a Book.” It scored the dreaded “79” because it had too much foreground (grass) that took away from the mountains, tree and serenity of the scene. This version is cropped as suggested way back then. The judges were right. This is a better image. I wonder if this version would have hit the merit mark! Honestly? I don’t care. It is still a nice place to read a book! I looked for this spot on Kaua’i for years since I first saw it. I found it last year with Joan Dantzig! Hmmm…what book will I bring next on our next trip?!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#livelaughlove

I found another subject for my on-going “tree” series. I love using trees in my compositions. I often use them to frame the rest of the image. They also give you great shadows to work with at almost any time of day (although the shadows will be very different depending on where the sun is). We found this beauty in the canyons of Calabasas, California while visiting our good friend Louis Peter Trygar. The canyons are typically on the drier side, so wild fires are always a concern. However, they possess a unique and signature beauty all there own. The fascinating thing about the area is that you end up on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu after about a 20 minute curving, bending and exhilarating drive! Be prepared though—it can be much cooler on the Coast!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

This is a long post, but there is a point to it (a couple, actually), so please bear with me. At its forefront is the desire to help a friend who has been an amazing inspiration for my photography and also a lesson that following your dreams sometimes leads you down very different paths than you originally thought…with very different outcomes. My friend’s name is David Mecey. That name may be unfamiliar to a lot of you, but many of my photography friends know that David is one of the best photographers (especially glamour photography) in the world. He had such an impact on me that he is mentioned in my own autobiography, Get Up, Your Bus Is Here: Living MY Life with Cerebral Palsy. In hindsight, I under wrote his influence on me. Here is what I wrote (this was circa 1990-ish after talking about my great friend and mentor Bill Higgins):

“I had other mentors as well. The PhotoEast convention is a huge annual event where the best photographers in the world converge on New York City for a half-week of seminars and trade shows. My assignment from Bill was very familiar; go to as many booths as possible and see what the vendors are selling and why. The seminars were usually top-notch, but I would go one step further; I would always bring my neophyte portfolio with me and ask these big shots for a critique. Most were happy to do so and the majority of those were very supportive. Some became friends that I am still in touch with. One day I met a photographer named David Mecey. David was a photographer for Playboy at the time. He looked at my work and blew me away with his comments. He asked if I was working alone. He was not surprised when I said that I was. He told me that my work had potential but I was losing a very important connection to my models when I moved around to adjust the lights. He told me that my work would skyrocket when I started to use assistants to tweak the lights and exposures. He was right! I am still amazed at the level of intuition that he possessed to be able to see that in my photographs.”

The story could have ended with the feel-good saga of a famous photographer being nice to “kid” struggling to find his way to his dream, but the story does not end there—well it did for over 10 years. I listened to David and began to work with assistants (who also became lifelong friends). One thing led to another and I start writing for Rangefinder Magazine. David winds up with a cover story and his email information is included. I get my nerve up and write him a note about that day 10+ plus years ago. The next line is NO LIE! Seriously, my inbox pings about 10 minutes later and there is a full page response from David. Not only did he have a vivid memory of that day and our very brief chat, but he was truly humbled that one comment he made had such an impact on me. We’ve been friends ever since and he has continued to support my growth as a photographer many years later.

So, what is the point of this trip down memory lane? David almost died 2 years ago. Thankfully he did not, but that experience compelled him to write about his life—in, and I assume, outside of Playboy. He talks in a video promoting his book (via kickstarter) about how he had a dream, reached for the stars, and in his words, grabbed one. I had a dream for my photography too. THAT dream never to fruition, but it morphed into a teaching career that I enjoy. Much more importantly, I kept shooting. I self-published my book in early 2012. The book ended with me questioning whether I would ever find “her,” as in someone to love and share my life with. I started working with a model named Angelika Marr as I was writing my book. Angelika is Joan’s sister-in-law! It took a few more years (and a LOT if immigration STUFF), but Joan and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in August. Did I meet Joan because of a chance meeting with David 28 years ago? That might be a stretch, but his support sure kept me in the game long enough for the stars to align just so!

I just pre-ordered a signed copy of my friend’s book. You can too, but this is not going to happen if funds are not raised soon (the cool thing about this fund-raiser is you GET STUFF for your donations!) I really hope this flies. I want to read about the life of a friend who helped change my own life! Here is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/…/tales-from-a-playboy-staff-ph…
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove
#beautifulasawa#wifey#happyguy#getupyourbusishere

I talk about the need to back-up your data properly in every class I teach. My “joke” is that rule number one in the digital age is to back-up your data and rule number 2 is to see rule number 1! RAID systems are redundant—your data is automatically backed up, so when one hard drive fails you simply replace it and the data rewrites itself on the new drive. It is a great idea in theory. I’ve used a DROBO RAID-like system for 8 years, and unfortunately, the second housing in 8 years is headed for the trash heap. The data on the drives are still good (from past experience), but the “volumes,” or the place the computer goes to look for the data are not mounting, and therefore are inaccessible. Why am I not panicking? Well, a similar thing happened 4 years ago—when the DROBO WAS my storage/back-up system. One of the volumes failed to mount and I started a weeklong “freak-out” process. It all worked out as I followed the tech instructions from DROBO to clone the failing drive and do some other stuff. In the meantime, I picked up extra external drives as extra security. This system worked well for the next four years, but two volumes of the four failed to load about one month ago. I immediately went back to Best Buy and picked up a third, larger external drive and moved everything over to what is now my main storage unit (with two older drives as back-ups). I also, at the encouragement of a good friend, finally broke down and went with a continuous cloud back-up system as well (minus and folders that I would not want hacked a la Jennifer Lawrence!) Yesterday none of the four volumes would mount, but everything is still backed up and accessible. So here I share two of the most important images I have ever created—created on the best day of my life as examples of why we NEED solid back-up systems. Sadly, I can no longer recommend DROBO to my friends as a reliable system. Back-up your stuff properly and still sleep at night WHEN something goes wrong.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove
#beautifulasawa#wifey#happyguy

We just had some fun posting a memory from a shoot we did with Naomye Leiza some years ago and teasing our good friend Marshall Hartle. I thought it was only fair to post some of the actual photographs created that day. It turned out to be a very good lesson on how to control the density of your background as well as the balance/blend of lights on your models face when using a strobe combined with ambient light outdoors. Compare the tonal values of the background and the contrast on Naomye’s face in the images. The image of Joan shows a different result on the background and was just plain fun to create. Good fun, great images, super friends!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#outdoorlighting

I found an old folder of images from Mau’i created in 2002! I made my first and only (so far) visit to the summit of Haleakala. It was cold at 10,000 feet (in shorts!), but it was amazing! It was incredible to stand above the clouds. The original images were flat and lifeless, but easily brought back to life with the Camera Raw filter in Photoshop (you could also use Lightroom).
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Instagram post: I had a couple of comments about my “one light wonder” image of Vina and MJ’s image of Raven, so let’s stick with that theme for today and yet change it up a bit. The images just posted had a soft quality of light because they were lit with a decent sized softbox. However, you can create dramatic images, still using one light, by choosing a harsher light source. Vina Vanessa moved closer to the backdrop and we used a spotlight as the sole light. The harsh light created distinct shadows and Vina’s proximity to the backdrop allowed us to use the shadows as a compositional component in the image. Original was in color and edited in post. Learn more in our Introduction to Studio Lighting Workshop.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#onelightwonders

Let’s get back to lighting for a bit. I am always asked “how many lights do you need to create fashion images.” My answer is “start with one and add from there!” I posted an image a few days ago created with a single softbox in the split lighting position. “Lighting Styles” refer to where the light is placed in relation to your model, not necessarily your camera. Mj Matsushita used the same set-up, but moved Raven Matsushita-Garcia slightly so she got a soft 
Rembrandt window on Raven’s left side. I actually like MJ’s image better than mine—I LOVE when students outperform teachers! On the other hand, this archive image of Vina Vanessa was created with that same light source in more of a “loop” style. Her hair was lightened a bit and the round highlight on the backdrop was added in post. Learn more in our Introduction to Studio Lighting Workshop, now scheduled for August 18, 2018.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#onelightwonders

It is Fireworks time again! I’ve gotten good results in the past with a 5 second exposure at f 13 and ISO 100. Have fun tomorrow, stay safe, and Happy Independence Day America!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Slowly getting the hang of the drone. Still have a lot to learn, but at least I am getting used to the controls. Need to work on controlling the turning pans in video. It was windy, so we did not fly so high this time. Good fun with Charlie Rowe Sr.!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Joan Dantzig and I were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the famous “Hearst Zebras” during our tour of the Central Coast of California with Cris Mitchell! One of many special moments during our Great California Adventure of 2018!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

I got out to play with the drone again today with Robert Hernandez, Glenn Nishida, Ken Kua and Ted Suzuki. Good fun with good friends, but I still have a lot to learn! Getting there! The Koolaus are magnificent even on a rainy day!
AH! I learned something today…and my job as an photography instructor is to pass along information learned along the way. This may be obvious to drone shooters, but it wasn’t to me (although I probably did read it somewhere ;)). My images from my shoot in Haleiwa a few weeks ago were way darker than I wanted (but I like them after post). The shots above were also dark, but not anywhere near as dark as Haleiwa. The left dial on your DJI Phantom controller adjusts your gimble (figured out how to make that work last flight). The dial on the RIGHT adjusts your exposure in flight. Maybe a good thing, but the shutter release button is there too and my fingers do not always stay where they need to be. Time to invest in a nice piece of Scotch tape!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Joan and I recently returned from a terrific trip to California (as many of you know). We were faced with the ever difficult question of which camera gear to bring! We really did need to pack as light as possible, so that meant the GoPro and one DSLR + lens (plus Joan’s phone!) Which combination? Each had pros and cons, but I ultimately went with the full frame camera and a 28-135 zoom lens. I think this “kit” lens often gets a bad rap. It is a solid, usable lens, BUT the variable f-stop and limited functional maximum f-stop can be annoying. The 1.8 50mm lens would have provided better “bokeh,” but fortunately, distance from your camera to your subject is a major factor in depth of field. I was still able to get effective selective focus on these flowers at Ragged Point even at f 5.6. Learn more in our Essential Digital Photography Workshop.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Look who I found hiding in the flowers along the Central Coast of California!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Great fun flying the drone with my good friend Robert Hernandez! The Koolaus are even more amazing from this angle. I love the hidden lake. I am still figuring out how to fly, photograph and create videos with the drone, but it is always good to keep learning! Let us help you keep learning!
P.S. This is where Joan and I got married!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography#
#koolaus#chinamanshat#drone#DJI

Good fun playing in the studio with some current students and a very good model! We were just trying out different lighting schemes and calibrating a light meter in the process (it is very important to “match” the LCD screen of the camera to what the meter tells you—when in doubt, trust the meter as long as it is a good one—BUT do the comparison. One of the camera’s preview tonight seemed to be at least 2/3 of a stop OVER what the meter indicated. Not good!) This was one of my favorites of the few shots of Raven that I “grabbed.” I actually used the clarity slider (in the negative direction) as a skin softening technique (not that Raven needed it!) and used a layer mask to bring back other details. I then added a black and white and then a curves adjustment layer to complete the image. Learn lighting and Lightroom/Photoshop at Hawaii School of Photography.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

Composition exercise: Is it better to emphasize your main point of interest, or make it a more subtle component of your composition. I think these two images of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco illustrate the question. I like both images, but Joan’s is, if I am honest with myself, a bit more mysterious. The foliage she captured could be anywhere…until your eye and attention go deeper into the image…and then you know where you are. I do like my composition (not a bad shot from a moving car), but I like Joan’s image a little better. What do you think?
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

I will be teaching a Lightroom/Photoshop class in a few hours. Adobe moved the hidden away Dehaze slider up to the Presence section of the Basic palette under the Clarity slider. I think this was a good move because this under-used adjustment can really breathe life back into a backlit or very cloudy image. The careful combination of Clarity and Dehaze can absolutely transform a dull flat image. They are powerful, though, and you can go too far very easily. I love the look, feel and composition of Joan’s image of the old Beringer House at the Beringer Winery in Napa Valley, California.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove
#Napa#Winetasting

These creatures were so much fun to observe and photograph! Harbor Seals at Shell Beach and Elephant Seals along the Central Coast of California. The Harbor Seals were LOUD barkers! The images I created of the Elephant Seals were from a lookout designed to observe the beach full of moms and pups (the males were out to sea). Apparently these creatures return every year to this exact spot to birth. The image of the Harbor Seal was a great example of something I tell my students all the time: look around—or in this case, down! There was a barge FULL of noisy seals away from the particular pier that contained Mersea’s Restaurant. However, Joan peaked over the railing and captured this great shot of our new friend!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Instagram post: My good friend Cris Mitchell took Joan Dantzig and I on an amazing tour of the Central Coast of California. It was a day we will always remember! These 2 images were carefully set up and framed—tripod and all!…Oh OK, I stuck the camera out of the window of Cris’ car as he drove down Route 1! Sometimes you do get lucky with an expensive point and shoot! Post production in Lightroom and Photoshop.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Instagram (Re)post: Time for me to play catch-up to Joan! We visited Vasquez Rocks Park in Saugus California in May. I had not been there in 22 years (the last time spawned a nightmare turned OK story that I tell at every one of my intro classes—see our blog post on tripods!) Vasquez Rocks is an awesomely beautiful spot about 30 minutes north of the San Fernando Valley or 45 minutes north of Los Angeles (or 4 hours, depending on the 405!). It was named after an outlaw who supposedly hid out among the rocks years ago. This image was converted to black and white and enhanced in Lightrooom and Photoshop.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

Instagram (Re)post: I wanted to create a dramatic images of the back of Hogwarts castle at Universal Studios. This was all done in Lightroom. I first bumped up the contrast and clarity and then played with the split tone sliders.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode
#learnphotography#photographylessons
#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting
#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#California#2018#livelaughlove

The challenge was to photograph 4 models together and still create a fairly harsh, yet flattering fashion lighting scheme. The lighting scheme had to be broad enough to evenly light all four models in a group image, yet functional enough to be useful for singles, doubles, triples and, of course, all 4 models. I chose an 18” beauty dish as my “main” light (backed up further than a “natural” distance to let the inverse square and depth of light laws spread the light more evenly over a greater distance) and a 3X4 foot softbox act as fill light to keep the shadows from going too dark (you create a harsher light source with deeper shadows as you back the light further from the subject). I knew ahead of time that I wanted to convert some of the images to black and white in post-production, so I had to keep that in mind as well while I lit the scene. Here are the two images I converted to black and white. I will add more over time. Learn more about the wonderful complexities of lighting in our specialty workshops. www.hawaiischoolofphotography.com. Models: Joan Dantzig, Naomye Leiza, Mary Apurillo Abes and Maria Catherine Boyd
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons
#howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

Instagram Post: Great image captured by Joan Dantzig a week or so during the Honolulu Festival fireworks. I boosted the contrast and vibrance of the buildings in Photoshop, but the moment and framing was all Joan!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography#saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography
#JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#

Instagram post: The key to any lighting assignment is to make the light look natural—especially when you have to create the right light. This image of Tasha Johnson was created on a fairly cloudy day. We created the light with a strobe in a beauty dish, a silver-gold reflector, and a mirror to kick any existing sunlight into her hair. Many thanks to Kaveh, Orlando and of course Marshall for the help and to Susan for the make-up! WOW! 8 years ago! Learn more at our outdoor lighting workshop on April 21, 2018—8-hour seminar! Info here: https://hawaiischoolofphotography.com/clas…/outdoor-lighting/ Book your class here: hawaiischoolofphotography.com/registration/
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#OutdoorLighting
#howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

Instagram post: Amazing Waikiki sunset tonight. Phone camera underexposed in phone; clarity, vibrance and saturation boosted a little in post.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons##travelphotography#
#JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Instagram post: We haven’t looked much at night photography. Light is the complete essence of photography. After all, “photography” literally means “to write with light.” We capture the light that reflects off of our subjects. However, night photography gives us the opportunity to make light an actual part of the image. A case in point is the Empire State Building in holiday colors in New York City after a great day with close friends.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography#
#
JoAdventures
#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#newyorkcity

Finally got “the bird” back up in the sky! Joan Dantzig took her first flight as well. Good fun with our great friend Robert Hernandez! Landscape photography is often known for being bright, colorful and peaceful. Sometimes the opposite approach can be very effective. Deep dark and somber skies can create very dramatic photographs.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography
#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition
#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#

I finished an Introduction to Lightroom and Photoshop class on Saturday and I was thinking about the incredible things you can do in PS with layers and layer mask. It reminded of a shoot with Shenri-ann from “back in the day.” I used a “zoom” blur filter on a duplicate layer, created a layer mask, and “painted” the un-blurred Shenri-ann back in. I firmly believe that layers and layer masks are among the most important creative tools in Photoshop.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

I think organized attractions like luaus or staged “cultural” shows get a bad rap. Yes they are designed to entertain and may have some “schlocky” components, but they also teach about the dance and traditions of the area you are visiting. Paradise Cove on Oahu and Villa Escudero in Manila are examples. We enjoyed the costumes, dances and different stories of the various cultures on display.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#culture

At long last I am organizing the images I want to post into mini themes. While I won’t post all of one theme at one time in order to keep some kind of a mix going, I will identify the theme associated with each image. I am often asked how many lights are needed to create stunning images of people. Why not start with one light source? Here is the start of a “one light wonder” mini theme. We’ll add more lights as we go through the year. Raeceen Woolford Miss Hawaii 2009 photographed with a 30”X40” softbox high and slightly camera left with a silver card camera right. Some post-production to emphasize part of her hair.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#onelightwonders#howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

I am not sure why Instagram did not share this on FB, but here it is! I was wasting time going through some archives yesterday and found this image. I had the idea years ago of doing a series of images that involved trees with the ocean/water somewhere in the photo. The series never really materialized, but I always liked this image.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Phone cameras are getting more and more sophisticated. HOWEVER, you still need to know what you want to create and how to make the tool you have in your hand get the job done! This image is straight out of the “camera,” but I did use the exposure slider to underexpose what the phone wanted to give me.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography#S8

I thought it was time to repost this image from 2 years ago because Joan and I just returned from frozen tundra called Manhattan. The image was created on another cold day. I chose to highlight the Liberty Tower because she represented the rebirth of the city. The truth is that the city, and her people, never died. No less than 6 total strangers offered us different kinds of assistance over the last few frozen days. Long live New York and people all over who have Aloha in their hearts.

The image was created by making a duplicate layer in Photoshop and applying a black and white filter to the top layer. A “reveal all” layer mask was applied and I used the brush tool with black paint to reveal the underlying color of the tower.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography#JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Snapshot taken at Fort DeRussy Beach while waiting of steak plates for Joan and I. Underexposed a bit in “camera” and the horizon straightened slightly in post, but otherwise it is “as shot.” Begs the question: “Why are we not down here every day?” Reminder once again to LIVE rather than get stuck in the routines of life.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

This is one of my favorite images that Joan created during our trip to El Nido, Palawan, Philippines last year. I love that she got low and close to the rock in the foreground (which made the rock appear larger) and we lowered the exposure values in post-production to create what to me looks like an image from another world.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Great images are all around us if we just look and sometimes think out of the box. These planks are the window dressing at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant just outside of Waikiki, but Joan turned them into an interesting and dynamic image. Lesson learned: look around!
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Mahalo all for your likes and comments on Joan’s sunrise in Kaua’i image! Let’s stay on the “Garden Isle” for today with this image overlooking the Wailua River. Kaua’i is truly a magical place and we will return with many more posts in the future.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

Kaua’i is our favorite of all of the Hawai’ian Islands, partly because of her serene and almost surreal beauty. Joan was treated to an extra-special vision one morning (I snoozed and I lost!): This incredible sunrise. The image was slightly darkened in post-production, but it is essentially what greeted her that morning.
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

I posted a fashion/headshot image yesterday of Tasha Johnson. The image, while beautiful, used a “typical” or “conventional” crop—aka, it showed her whole head. Here are two more images from that same series where I purposely cropped tight (In camera). I think the tight crops add a little more tension and interest to the photographs. What do you think?
#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#

Forgot to share this from Instagram! The decision to crop or not to crop (in camera) is often the difference between a good image and a dramatic image. Conventional wisdom tells us not to crop into our model’s head and this is usually good advice. This image ot Tasha Johnson is beautiful, but tomorrow I will post a cropped image from the same series and let you decide which is more dramatic. (logo cropped out by Instagram. Image copyright Stephen Dantzig) #fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#howtophotographmodels#fashionphotography#beautyphotography#

Traffic is the way of life in Manila Philippines. Here is a guy who is making the best of it and probably making a living for his family! #streetlife#philippines#fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

The Tarsier! Amazong little creature found in Southeast Asia. This little guy was photographed at a tarsier reserve in Bohol Philippines. A flash was not an option because it would hurt his eyes, so we had to bump up the ISO in the dark “jungle.” #fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#travelphotography##JoAdventures#pinayamtraveller#landscapephotography

hawaiischoolofphotography–What better image to choose for my first Instagram post! My favorite of all the wedding photos I have taken: my beautuful asawa, Joan! #fromautotoawesome#HawaiiSchoolofPhotography##saynototheautomode#learnphotography#photographylessons#essential#photography#workshops#basiclighting#advancedlighting#composition#oahu#hawaii#honolulu#philippines#kauai#maui#StephenDantzig#PhotoshopLightroomlessons#beautifulasawa#wifey#happyguy#2018

Summary
Free lessons or comments on our classes and images.
Service Type
Free lessons or comments on our classes and images.
Provider Name
Hawaii School of Photography,HI-96815,
Telephone No.8082822732
Area
Worldwide
Description
Free lessons or comments on our classes and images.